“Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. First: It’s completely impossible. Second: It’s possible, but it’s not worth doing. Third: I said it was a good idea all along!” Arthur C. Clarke (1917 – 2008) Like any serious social programme, basic income must pass two tests represented by the questions (in the following order): is it fair

(Picture credit: Counterpunch) In this article Julie Wark and Daniel Raventós write about why the trade unions do not support an unconditional basic income when “properly understood and administered, basic income could have enormously positive consequences”. Prior to their discussion of the reasons why trade unions do not support an unconditional basic income, they first try to assess both the